homebrewandbeer.com

Hey guys.
Was very happy last night when I tried a brew I hadn't had for a while. Morgans Australian Pilsener with 1.5kg blue gum honey and Cascade hops. Brew was exactly one year old yesterday. Was interested as the brew tasted exactly like the James Squire Limited Release Golden Ale that they had out some time last year. Should this had happenned? Happy with it anyway. Will have to finish the last couple of bottles off soon.

This is an example of how homebrew matures. Over time the flavors change and the beer mellows. Some of the harsh "green beer" flavors also dissipate.

This is why I like to leave my beer for at least three months (if I can!) before drinking.

Cheers,

Oliver

Fully agree Oliver.

On the most part, I don't drink any bottles under about 3 months old. Never really a problem to leave them this long if you have yourself 100's of bottles filled and ageing.

Have changed to kegs last year but so bottle collection starting to try up. Will have to experiment a bit soon with my bottles.

See,

This is where I disagree, I feel you should brew to a level that it is ready in three weeks

Dogger

Dogger,
I also reckon the beer is better afer maturing for 3 months.
Not that I can usually wait that long.
Maybe the warmer Aussie weather has some effect.

Anyway the good thing about homebrewing is that we all have our preferences and as long as the individual is happy with the end result then all is well.

i prefer to drink it early.. i find some beers do taste better with age.. but some get worse (if it's been oxidised etc)

"we all have our preferences and as long as the individual is happy with the end result then all is well." - damn straight sago

And folks I am fair game for preferences. God only knows, I bottle about 4 litres a batch and save them up for a once a year piss up in September and I agree, the beers change over time.

I just can not get my head wrapped around saying "Its hoppy because I brewed with 100 HBU so we will have to wait until it mellows" To me, brew with 50 HBU, then you can enjoy it sooner. Just me though.

Dogger

I'm with you Dogger,
I like to brew a stout or two in the summer so that it can mature till the winter month (or two) that we have here in the Alice, but my normal everyday beers, if they are not drinkable after three weeks, don't make them again! I admit I like to get a bit ahead and give them a couple of months in the bottle, but the brews must be good enough to drink in two to three weeks if need be. (and they often need be!)

I'm the brew bottle and wait type, 2 -3 months for light ales and 6+ months for dark ales and stouts. This is regardless of how hoppy the beer is I find all beers improve with age.

The reason I had lots of bottles when bottling. Always had lots of different beers ready to drink.

Now I keg and bottle 4 - 5 bottles of each batch for drinking much later on.

Dogger we can meet half way and empty our stock piles

Looks like I've started an interesting topic!

Fully agree with personal preference. Do whatever suits you

Shaun,
Sounds like we do things very similar. One question; do you age your kegs? Have not been kegging for long so am a bit unsure on this.

I brew to drink not to look at it like a calander.What the hell do you do if you are going to let it sit .MOW the bloody lawn.

Drink a different one.

I've currently got 200 bottles covering 21 brews. What I like about bottling is that I've got such a good selection at any one time. Plus I can see how they all mature and revisit beers (like the eight-year-old stout I'm drinking at the moment).

But each to their own.

Cheers,

Oliver

Antsvb the kegs have not been lasting long enough to age. I did have one left in the fridge over Xmas (I was away) and it continued to improve. The keg was left for 5 weeks and the improvement was about the same as 5 - 6 months in the bottle.

I will be trying to age kegs for 2 - 3 weeks now before taping. I use 5 kegs, 3 are being drunk from, and 2 are aging or waiting for a refill. I try not to have more than 2 kegs empty at anyone time, this was not easy before Xmas

Cool.

Yeah sounds like a similar setup. I only got the kegs happenning 6 or so months ago so the first few kegs did not last long enough to age however I have now got an extra 2 kegs so they are currently filled and ageing. I can only fit 2 in my fridge so I have 2 on tap and 2 ageing.

I am in the market for asnother pair of kegs to.

Getting pricey

Dogger

Antsvb you need a bigger fridge. Four in the fridge, two on tap, one on gun and a cold one spare.

Like a Chest Freezer



Couldn't help myself

Dogger

here's a thought and a question, getting greedy aren't I!!!

I've got four kegs but only room in fridge for three, and that's a squeeze. I was thinking of have one keg outside on gas with beerline into fridge, about 5-6m coiled and wrapped around cooler coild at rear to chill before dispensing. Was going to try this in winter for stouts that maybe don't need to be super-chilled! What do you reckon!

Also how long will a keg keep once gassed if taken out of fridge for storage! I'm thinking that if above idea don't work I may still keg a stout for winter, get is gassed and ready and store in brew room somewhere until needed!

any thoughts

Grabman
(ever the optmist)

I am thinking you would have to step up the pressure to get it carbonated but with the length of tubing you would be delivering at the right velocity. I see no reason for it not to work.

Dogger